Bath fly-half Finn Russell is preparing for a fiery encounter with familiar faces, targeting crucial "bragging rights" when his English champions host Edinburgh in a decisive European Champions Cup pool match this Friday night.
A Physical Test Against Old Friends
The showdown at the Recreation Ground is a winner-takes-all affair for top spot in Pool 2, with the victor securing a coveted home draw for the knockout stages. Russell, who knows the Edinburgh squad intimately from international duty with Scotland, is expecting a fiercely competitive and physically demanding contest.
"I’d imagine there’ll be a couple of late shots and being held on the ground which is always the case when you’re against your old side," said Russell, who began his professional career at Glasgow Warriors. He has already sent a warning text to Edinburgh and Scotland wing Duhan van der Merwe, telling him to be ready for a tough evening.
With the Six Nations Championship on the horizon, Russell highlighted the personal stakes involved. "It’s good fun running into boys you know but there’s always bragging rights... If they win or we win we’ll wind each other up," he stated, adding that a loss would make for "quite a rough" upcoming Scotland training camp.
Bath Aiming to Sharpen Attacking Edge
Despite recent high-scoring defeats to Toulon and Northampton Saints around the Christmas period, Russell revealed that Bath are focused on elevating their attacking game. The departure of attack coach Lee Blackett to the England setup has led to a period of adjustment under his replacement, Martin Gleeson.
"Since the November Tests we’ve spoken more about playing more expansively," Russell explained. He noted the coaching shift, saying, "Lee and Glees have different views about how we can run an attack shape." This has led to tactical tweaks, with Bath recently finding more joy by playing wider from the fly-half position and focusing on multi-phase attacks to dismantle defences.
However, Russell was quick to affirm that Bath's powerful forward pack, renowned for their pick-and-go game, remains a fundamental weapon. "With the forwards we’ve got why wouldn’t you use pick and go’s? They’re so good at that," he said, emphasising the need to balance forward dominance with backline creativity.
Embracing the Pressure of Success
Bath head coach Johann van Graan acknowledged that his team, after winning three trophies last season, now carries a target on its back. He defended Russell's influence and form, suggesting the playmaker's high standards are sometimes unfairly scrutinised.
"If you are a player with Finn’s talent, sometimes an 8/10 performance isn’t good enough for some people," van Graan said. "Having won three trophies we’ve had a target on our backs since round one. It’s a different kind of pressure... that’s something we embrace. The moment you stand still in sport is the moment you fall off it."
In other rugby news, Gloucester have continued to strengthen their squad for next season by agreeing a deal to sign Springbok lock Jean Kleyn from Munster this summer. Additionally, the Scarlets have appointed former Wales coach Nigel Davies as their interim director of rugby with immediate effect.
